Question: First consider the expression for: Take the product of $7$ and $x$ and add $-2$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $4$ and the product of $9$ and that expression.
Solution: Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $7$ and $x$ $7 \times x = \color{orange}{7x}$ What does adding $-2$ to $7x$ do? $7x$ $ - 2$ What is the quantity of $9$ times that expression $9 \times (7x - 2) = \color{orange}{9(7x-2)}$ What is the sum of $4$ and $\color{orange}{9(7x-2)}$ $9(7x-2)$ $ + 4$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $9(7x-2)+4$.